JD Cultivates New
Smart Agriculture Push in China

JD Cultivates New
Smart Agriculture Push in China

Committed to improving China’s agricultural infrastructure through smart technology, the country’s largest retailer, JD.com has launched the JD Smart Agriculture Development Community. The new initiative leverages smart technology to transform China’s agriculture industry. JD has teamed up with over 50 partners and several local government representatives to launch this initiative.

With crop protection as the first item on the Community’s agenda, JD has launched a new app to help farmers, cooperatives, local and national government organizations, companies and others use unmanned aerial drones for crop protection. The new app, “Jingdong Nongfu,” matches agricultural producers with carefully-vetted crop protection service providers and agricultural drone manufacturers, immediately addressing two major pain points for the agricultural industry.

First, the platform will allow farms to use cost-effective agricultural drones instead of manned aircrafts and manual field labor, saving growers money and reducing excessive pesticide use. Second, the app will make supply and demand information more transparent, allowing farmers to choose the appropriate service provider and the right time to begin crop protection, seeding, and fertilization.

In addition to increasing the efficiency of China’s agriculture industry, the JD Smart Agriculture Development Community will also help raise the overall level of food safety and quality. Historically, the industry has lacked clear standards regulating the amount of pesticides used in crop production in China and there has been little transparency. The Community, however, will work with partners including farms, drone manufacturers, service providers, and pesticide companies to create industry standards for crop protection services and reporting standards.

“We are delighted to play a role in transforming agriculture in China,” said Jun Xiao, Head of JD-X, JD.com’s logistics innovation lab. “Leveraging our vast resources, this initiative will both change the way the agricultural industry operates and give Chinese consumers even more peace of mind about how their food is sourced. We are excited be able to connect trusted farms with consumers on our platform.”

JD will partner with farm owners in an initiative called JD Farms to bring more smart technology to China’s farms. JD Farms will use advanced technologies including cloud computing, big data, and drones to monitor and analyze water, soil, pesticides, fertilizer, weather, diseases and pests; provide highly accurate estimates for pesticide use; and increase the traceability of agricultural products.

JD consumers will also gain access to a trusted and reliable “farm-to-table” sales channel. Integrated with the company’s world-class e-commerce and logistics capabilities, particularly in cold chain, JD Farms can ensure quick and reliable delivery straight from its partner farms to customers’ doorsteps.